There have been at least 2 tip-jet type helicopters to reach type
certification and production.

Sud Ouest So.1221 Djinn, about 150 produced.
http://avia.russian.ee/vertigo/snias_jinn-r.html

Kolibri H-3, about 10 produced.
http://avia.russian.ee/vertigo/nhi_kolibri-r.html


(Jeremy Thomson) wrote in message om...
I'm not aware of any tip-jet helicopters that have made it into
production.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.

At first the idea seems a no-brainer, no torque to counter, no
gearbox, should result in a lighter & thus more efficient aircraft.
I suppose the devil is in the details.
Is the problem with tip-jets the rotor hub?
Either you have to pass fuel or hot gas through the rotor hub to the
blades.
I guess sealing a rotating assembly with hot gases flowing through may
be a non-trivial problem?
But that shouldnt be a problem for jets-at-the-tips type designs, fuel
would not be hot enough to damage seals.
Perhaps there is a inherant flaw in the jets-at-the-tips style design?

I've seen videos of the Hughes heavy lift helicopter that directed the
output of a couple of turbojets(/fans ?) through the blades.
I thought that design was successful, it was more a matter of funding
that it wasnt put into production, am I wrong?

Jeremy Thomson